Book-carriage.



'No- 794,809. 7 PATENTED JULY 18. 1905.

S. A. MARSH.

BOOK CARRIAGE.

AIPLIOATION rmzn III!!! 11. 1904.

JicfiwyAJlamh,

, Inventor.

Witnesse t M Attorneys UNITED STATES.

Patented July 18, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

SIDNEY AUGUSTUS MARSH, OF VVHAR-TON, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO GEORGE CHESTER GIFFORD, OF VVHARTON, TEXAS.

BOOK-CARRIAGE SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent NO. 794,809, dated July 18, 1905.

Application filed June 1'7, 1904. Serial No. 213,027.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIDNEY AUGUSTUS MARSH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wharton, in. the county of lNharton and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Book-Carriage, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for carrying and supporting books and similar articles while being used or worked on, and is designed more particularly for the use of bookkeepers and other accountants, registrars of deeds and similar persons, and others whose duties require them to frequently consult or refer to or make entries in or extracts from large books, and has for its object to provide a simply-constructed and portable means whereby the required books may be moved into convenient position to the operator without the necessity of moving from his place.

With these and other objects in view, which will appear as the nature of the inventidn is better understood, the same consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which corresponding parts are denoted by like desig nating characters, is illustrated the preferred form of the embodiment of the invention ca pable of carrying the same into practical operation, it being understood that the invention is not necessarily limited thereto, as va rious changes in the shape, proportions, and general assemblage of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and the right is therefore reserved of making all the changes which fairly fall within the scope of the invention and the claims made therefor.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a writingdesk with the improved device applied. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same enlarged Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional details illustrating the construction of the track and the manner of mounting the same upon the desk or other support.

The improved device is generally arranged upon the upper surface of a long standing desk, such as are ordinarily employed in counting-rooms and offices, but may be disposed upon other suitable supports as circumstances may require, but for the purpose of illustration is shown applied to a relatively long desk, as at 10.

The desk-top is provided near its lower edge with spaced sockets 11 and embedded therein so that no portion projects above the general surface, the sockets receiving corresponding studs 12, projecting from a track 18. The track is preferably formed in sections detachably united at the ends, as by spurs'or tenons 14, in one section entering corresponding apertures or mortises in the next section. By this simple means a track of any desired length may be located along the desk and held from movement by the studs fitting in the sockets. Thus when the track is not required it can be quickly, removed and leave no obstruction other than the relatively small and unnoticeable sockets 11.

If required, the lower faces of the tracksections may be protected with felt or the like to prevent abrasion of the desk.

The supporting-platform 15 for the books or other articles is formed in two or more sections hinged together, as at 16, so that they will fold together when not in use, and each section provided with its own independent set of carrier-rollers 17, one set for engaging the track 13, and thereby guided, and the platform retained in proper position upon the desk.

One of the track members only will generally be required, as represented; but tracks may be provided for both lines of the rollers, if preferred.

With a desk or other support equipped with one of the improved devices herein described a bookkeeper or other operator may place his large and cumbersome books in open order thereon and then standing or sitting at one point at the desk can easily draw the platform back and forth to bring the required book into convenient position and without requiring the operator to leave his place. The laborious handling of the heavy books is thus materially decreased, and the constant traveling along the desk from book to book is entirely obviated, as the operator brings the books to himself instead of going to the books.

The labor of caring for the books is thus very materially decreased and results also in the saving of much valuable time.

The track-sections which form the ends of the track are preferably provided with stops to prevent the carriage running therefrom, and these stops may be formed by stopping the channels in the end track-sections at the ends of the same, as at 19 in Fig. 1, or by any other simple means.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a device of the class described, a support such as a desk having spaced sockets embedded in its face, a track member having spaced pins for detachable engagement with said sockets and a platform having bearingrollers for engagement with said track.

2. In a device of the class described, a sup port such as a desk having spaced sockets embedded in its face, a track member formed in sections detachably connected at the ends and provided with spaced studs for detachably engaging said sockets when the tracksections are distended, and a platform formed in sections hinged to fold together when not in use and with each section provided with carrier-rollers for engaging said tracksec tions when distended.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SIDNEY AUGUSTUS MARSH.

Witnesses:

A M. CLAPP, B. H. VINEYARD. 

